Waste site go-ahead

A Landfill site which will take 10,000t of hazardous waste a year has been approved, despite concerns about its impact on neighbours’ health. 
The facility, at Castle Cement’s Lanehead Quarry, near Clitheroe, will dispose of 175,000 cubic metres of cement kiln dust (CKD) over the next 23 years. Three trailer loads of waste a day will be transported in covered wagons along private roads within the quarry. Residents in Chatburn, some of whom live just 250metres from the site, fear dust emissions and the hazardous nature of the waste will have a detrimental effect on health. 

The scheme was granted planning permission by Lancashire County Council’s development control committee yesterday but Castle Cement cannot begin operating the site until it has a permit from the Environment Agency. Site bosses said that, if they are turned down for a permit, they would be forced to close kiln 7 - the only one of three kilns that produces CKD. 

Councillors gave the go-ahead after Stuart Perigo, the council’s chief planning officer, told them that Castle Cement wanted to create a new site because the current CKD landfill site, at Coplow Quarry - also part of Lanehead Quarry - is almost full. The new site will be restored to limestone grassland when full. Gareth Price, Castle Cement general manager, said: "The Environment Agency will give its decision after determining the environmental impact of the new site. "If the permit is refused, kiln 7 would have to close and the impact on our business would be very severe.